Tire spreader



July 3," 192s. 1,675,521

C1?v E. WEAVER TIRE SPREADER Filed Sept. 26, 192'? 2 Sheets-Sheet l July 3, 1928. l 1,675,521

G. E. WEAVER TIRE SPREADER Filed Sept. 26, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 UIHIIHHIII HHHHHIIHIHM.,

Patented July Il, 1.928..

UNETED STATES AParent ortica.

GAILARD E; WEAVER, 0F SPRINGFIELD, ILLINOIS, ASSIGN'OB TO WEAVER MANUFAC- TURING COMPANY, 0F SPRINGFIELD, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION 0F ILLINOIS.

TIRE SPREADER.

Application filed September 26, 1927. Serial No. 221,949.

My invention concerns means or appliances for spreading or opening pneumatic tire-casings in order that they may be easily inspected for the discovery of internal in'- juries and which will facilitate the making of needed repairs.

One aim of the inventionis the provision of an apparatus of this type which is readily adjustable to adapt it to the nature of the work required on tire-casings of different sizes.

A further purpose of the invention or salient feature of the novel device `is the simplicity of the structural elements involved and their association with one an'- other, thus tending toward economy of man-- ufacture and ruggodness ot construction representin long life and an assurance of eiticient action Without necessity for repairs or replacement of parts. y

In the associated drawings, constituting a part of this specication, I have illustrated a present, desirable embodiment of the invention, like reference numerals being employed to designate the same structural parts throughout the several Views.

Figure 1 is'an end elevation oi the new and improved tire-casing spreader, showing the casm'g in section;

Figure 2 is a vertical crosssection throu h the apparatus, depicting the sprea er hooks or lingers in inactive'or inoperative) position 4 Figurei is a partial front elevation of the ap liance; and

*igure 4: is an enlarged vertical section on line 4--4 of Figure 1.

Adverting to these drawings, it will he observed that the novel appliance includes a table-topll mounted on corner-posts or legs 12, 12 connected together in the usual manner to present a firm and sturdy structure, such table-top having a long slot 13 therethrough for the accommodation of ,a pair of opposed, rigid hook-members 14, 14 adapted to engage over the opposite bead portions ot a tire-casing 15 supported on the top of the table in vertical or upright relation and by their simultaneous outward and downward movements in opposite 'directions spreading .beneath the ,table top.

the rear of the table .frame at 17, are rockingly mounted or fulcrumed to the middle portion of such lever by means of a pin or short shaft 18, extended through registering apertures of the three elements, the hookmembers being disposed on opposite sides of' the pedal, as is fully indicated in Figure 4.

A coiled, contractile spring 19 is connected at its upper end `to the table frame and at its lower end to the pedal, normally tending to raise or rock such foot-lever upwardly, a stationary, upright, toothed or ratchet bar 20 alording a series of projections against any one of which the lever may be caused to bear to maintain or hold it depressed in any particular desired position.

A convenient construction for this purpose is to allow the lever a small amount of lateral play in its fulcrum mounting and to provide such levery with a lateral, confining loop 21 through which the stationary ratchetbar extends.

The companion spreader elements 14, 14 are joined together by a -pair of coiled springs 22, 22 on opposite sides thereof, which tend to draw such members together until they touch at their upper, inturned ends, as presented in Figure 2.

The two, bent hook-members, of the shape portrayed in Figure l1, have each a roller 23 mounted thereon at about the center point of its length, such associated, anti-friction, rotary parts being designed to cooperate with the opposite edges of a cam or wedge member 24 loosely connected at 25 to a hand-lever 26 fulcrumed near the back of the machine at 27, the front portion of the lever having an operating-handle 28 and a lip 29 designed to coact with any one of a series of notches 'or shoulders of a ratchetbar 30 fastened to the front of the appliance Such cam orwedge member is longitudinally slotted at 3l for the reception of an upright, stationary rib 32 fastened in fixed manner to one of a pair of spaced, horizontal bars 33, 33 forming part of the table frame, and between which the spreader elements 14C, 14' are located, Cotter-pins 34, 34 preventing the cam from dislodgement from its guiding rib or fin.

The novel appliance is actuated practically as follows:

The front hook-member 14 is grasped and pulled forwardly suiiiciently to permit the tire-casing to be inspected to be introduced or rolled on the table with ease and facility between the pair of such elements, the rear one of which need not be moved to accomplish this initial positioning of the tire-casing on the table.

Thereupon, the hand-lever 26, 28 is manipulated up or down to adjust the wedgecam to proper position to correspond to the .size of tire-casing to be operated upon and the degreebf opening thereof required to accomplish the inspection work in hand, it being obvious, that, if the injury is in the center of the width of the casing, a Ilesser spreading or opening is required than 1s necessary when the damaged part is located well to one side of such center.

Then the pedal is depressed by the foot causing the two hook-members to descend vertically and enter the gap between-the adjacent margins or bead portions of the lower part of the upright casing, their further descent being coincident with their separation caused by the travel of the rollers 23, 23 along the downwardly diverging edges of the stationary cam.

If a greater spreading or opening is found to be necessary than had been originally contemplated, the osition of the cam can be quickly changedJ to produce the needed result.

Obviously, both the foot-lever and the hand-lever may be temporarily locked or held in any desired position, and may maintain the tire-casing in more or less spread condition. f

Thus the a justable positioning.,r of the wedge-cam allows the operator to cause the correct movements of the spreader-hooks for the particular tire-casing undergoing the inspection.

Vith large diameter cross-section tire-casings, the separation of the hooks should take place after arrelatively-short vertical descent thereof sufficient to permit their entrance between-the casing margins, but with a small diameter cross-section casing a. greater vertical vdownward travel is needed followed by a lesser separation or spreading action.

With either size ofcasing the degree of required opening thereof will depend, in part at least, upon the location of the injury.

After one section of the casing has thus been spread, the remaining successive sections may in like manner be opened up for examination by permitting the ascent of the hooks, turning the tire-casing the necessary amount and again depressing the hooks to spread open the new section with which they now engage.

The invention, as defined by the appended claims, is not limited to this single embodiment thereof and many changes may be incorporated therein and still be comprised within the compa and sphere of the invention.

I cla-im:

1. In atire-casing spreader, the combination of a support for the tire-casing to be inspected, opposed hook-members arranged to engage the opposite marginal portions of a casing mounted on said support, means to depress said hook-members, and cam means to cause the separation of said hook-members during their depression, whereby to effect the spreading'open of that portion of he tire-casing engaged by the hook-memers.

'2. In a tire-casing spreader, the combination of a support for the tire-casing to be inspected, opposed hook-members arranged to engage the opposite marginal portions of a casing mounted on said support, means to depress said hook-members, and manuallyadjustable cam means to cause the separation of said hook-members during their depression, whereby to effect the spreading open of that portion of the tire-casing engaged by the hook-members.

3. In a tire-casing spreader, the combination of a support for the tire-casing to be inspected, hinged opposed hook-members arranged to engage the opposite marginal portions of a casing mounted on said support, 105 spring means tending to force said hookinembers toward one another, means to depress said hook-members, and manually adjustable cam means to cause the separation of said hook-members during their depres- 110 sion, whereby to effect the spreading open of that portion of the tire-casing engaged by the hook-members.

4. 'In a tire-casing spreader, the combination of -a slotted support for the tire-casing 115 to be inspected, a' fulcrumed pedal', a pair .of opposed rigid hook-members directly inspected, a fuIcrumed-pedal, a pair of opposed rigid hook-members direc rockingly connected to said pedal, spring means tending to draw said hook-members toward one another, rollers on said hook-members, a vertically-adjustable .Wedge-cam with the opposite edges of which the rollers are adapted to` coact during their tirespreadng action, spring ymeans tending to rock said pedal upwardly, and means to lock said pedal in adjusted position. c

6. In a tire-casing spreader, the combination of a support for the tire-casing to bc inspected, a fulcrumed pedal, a pair of opposed rigid hook-members directly rocking-l i 1y connected to said pedal, spring means tending to draw said hook-members toward one another, rollers on said hook-members,

and a vertically-adjustable wed e-cam with the opposite edges of which sai rollers are adapted to coact during their tire-spreading action.

7. In a tire-casing spreader, the combination of a support for the tire-casing to be inspected, a fulcrumed pedal, a pair of oposed rigid hook-members directly rockingy connected to said pedal, sprmg 'means tending to draw said hook-members toward one another, and a.y vertically-adjustable wedge-cam with the opposite edges of which' said hook-members coact during their tirespreading action.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

l GAILARD E. WEAVER. 

